An Egyptian court has blocked online video service YouTube for a month for insulting the Muslim Prophet Mohammad.

The country's administrative court ordered the ministries of communication and investment to block access to the Google-owned website inside Egypt because it had carried the film Innocence of Muslims.

Human rights activists say the decision is an attack on freedom of expression and they expect a challenge in courts.

The Innocence of Muslims, a low-budget internet film, depicts the Prophet as a fool and a sexual deviant.

The film sparked protests around the world last year, including a violent demonstration in Sydney which saw six protesters arrested.

The court said it was ruling on a case brought about the film several months ago, without going into further detail.

YouTube had "insisted on broadcasting the film insulting Islam and the Prophet, disrespecting the beliefs of millions of Egyptians and disregarding the anger of all Muslims" the court said, according to MENA.

Egypt's National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority said it would abide by the ruling as soon as it received a copy of the verdict.

Maha Abouelenein, a Google spokeswoman in Cairo, said the company had yet to receive any formal notification of the ruling.

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